DJOKO HARTANTO, AUTHOR, CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Saturday, February 4, 2012
HE'S TRYING TO REACH MORE CHILDREN WITH HIS COLORFUL, MULTILINGUAL BOOKS. AND AUTHOR DJOKO HARTANTO DRAWS FROM HIS OWN CHILDHOOD FOR INSPIRATION. HE JOINS US NOW, ON THE DAY OF THE RELAUNCHING OF HIS SERIES OF BOOKS.

IN: There are six books in your series but what makes you different is the book is being launched in two different languages Indonesian and English. Why?

DH: Well, there is an option to publish the book as a bilingual book, but regarding the bilingual books I think the parents want the children to learn from the story as well as learn another language.

IN: Yes, English of course, growing importance in this country if you learn at a younger age, it makes it easier right? It's simple logic.

DH: Sure.

IN: Now, among the titles in your series you got "The Smart Little Ella" and "Wouwou Learns to Take a Stand.' It sounds like you're trying to teach, as well as entertain.

DS: Yes, I think it's very important to teach children, in my opinion, to share the good values to the children. While we're teaching, we don't have to be very preachy but we can create funny stories so the children can learn value without being forced.

IN: With the internet and television, book reading is becoming a lost art. What is your argument for parents to continue to introduce books to their kids?

DH: Reading is very important in my opinion. When you start reading for your baby, you stimulate the activity of baby's brain. And even when the children can read on their own.

IN: It's important because it's also bonding for parents. I enjoy reading, you enjoy reading to your kids because it's quality time right?

DH: Yes, reading is very important. I mean, all sorts of readings. So when you read together with your children, it also develops the self esteem of your children.

IN: Good point. Your books were previously in the stores in English and Bahasa Indonesia. You're re-launching it strictly now in Indonesian. But you're also coming out with an animation, a cartoon series... like Dora the Explorer?

DH: Well, Dora the Explorer has its own approach and we have a different approach as well.

IN: And your main character is called Lala.

DH: So it's basically a friendship between this little girl and the animals in the forest. Lobu tells a story about Lala and her animal friends. They live in Lobu forest, the animal is indigenous Indonesian animal, like a Javan rhino. There is only 40 Javan rhino in Ujung Kulon.

IN: They're endangered.

DH: Yeah. They're endangered species. The name of the rhino is Nono the Rhino who always says no.

IN: So your animation is coming up and your books are being re-launched. I mean, the future is bright for you personally and you're planning to do more books as well I would think.

DH: Yes.

06.02.2012. 04:21

FRANDA, ACTRESS

Saturday, January 21, 2012

THE DARK WORLD OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING GETS THE SPOTLIGHT IN A NEW MOVIE OUT IN THEATERS. IN THE FILM "XIA AIMEI," A YOUNG WOMAN FROM CHINA IS BROUGHT TO INDONESIA TO WORK AS A PROSTITUTE. THIS IS FRANDA'S FIRST MOVIE ROLE.

F: "I'm excited for sure. I feel blessed to play the role. Because, for a long time, I've always wanted to try acting. All this time, I've been a presenter. I really wanted to try acting and acting right away in films. Not in TV dramas. I had to play the leading role and act with longtime actors such as Olga Lydia, Ferry Slim and Samuel Rizal. Of course, I'm excited for the chance because I'm thinking that this is a good chance for me to gain knowledge and learn the acting world.

"Shooting in China was funny because the team was little and only I went to tell the background story of Xi Xi. It was interesting because we used the locals as the mother and uncle. It was exciting. What's funny is that they couldn't speak my language and I couldn't speak theirs. There was a translator, but he was having trouble with Indonesian language. He's an Indonesian who has lived in China for a long time. So it was hard for him to speak Indonesian. There is a scene where the mother had to hold my hand, so she just took my hand. (LAUGHS)."

THE MOVIE IS DIRECTED BY ALYANDRA, HIS FIRST FEATURE FILM. ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE FILM - NORMAN KAMARU, THE FORMER LIP-SYNCHING COP, MAKING HIS ACTING DEBUT AS AN IMMIGRATION AGENT.

25.01.2012. 03:22

ROBIN LIM, CNN 2011 HERO OF THE YEAR

Saturday, December 17, 2011

SHE WAS A HERO TO MOTHERS IN BALI LONG BEFORE THIS WEEK. BUT ROBIN LIM GOT INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION IN ANNUAL "HERO" AWARDS GIVEN OUT BY THE U.S. NEWS CHANNEL CNN. THE 55-YEAR-OLD WOMAN HELPS POOR WOMEN DELIVER THEIR BABIES SAFELY.

RL: I THINK, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD, MY FATHER WAS HERE IN INDONESIA IN THE '60S. HE WAS IN THE MILITARY. USUALLY, AS A FAMILY, WE'D TRAVEL WITH HIM. BUT LIFE IN INDONESIA AT THAT TIME WAS QUITE DANGEROUS. I THINK THAT WAS THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY. HE SENT ME A PACKAGE WITH A SHADOW PUPPET, AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH INDONESIA AT THIS MOMENT. AS AN ADULT, MY SISTER DIED 21 YEARS AGO FROM A COMPLICATION OF HER THIRD PREGNANCY. THIS WAS IN THE U.S. WITH INSURANCE, UNDER THE CARE OF THE DOCTOR. HE NEVER TOLD HER SHE WAS HIGH RISK. SHE AND MY NIECE OR NEPHEW, WE DON'T KNOW ALSO DIED. SO I DECIDED TO GO TO SCHOOL AND BECOME A MIDWIFE BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. I STARTED TO LOOK AT, STATISTICALLY, WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE TIME MY SISTER DIED, THE UNDER REPORTED STATISTIC WAS THAT A MOTHER DIED EVERY MINUTE. I STARTED TO WORK WITH THE MIDWIVES HERE AND TO LISTEN TO THEIR PROBLEMS AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT WAS FO THE MIDWIVES HERE IN INDONESIA. JUST LIKE THE MIDWIVES IN EVERY COUNTRY. THEY HAVE THEIR CHALLENGE, JUST YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE, THE MIDWIVES AND THE DOCTOR ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER AND THE LIE OF THE BABY. BUT IF THE MOTHER IS MALNOURISHED DURING THE PREGNANCY, HOW CAN SHE SURVIVE THIS SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVEN OF CHILDBIRTH? SO WE'VE BEEN TO ACEH, WHERE WE STILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY HELPING CHILD BIRTH CLINIC. WE WERE IN PADANG, WE WERE IN JOGJA AFTER THE EARTHQUAKES, AND WE WERE IN HAITI. AND WHAT WE RESPOND TO IS THE FACT THAT AFTER BIG NATURAL DISASTERS, LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE OR TSUNAMI... BOTH ARE... WELL THEN IMAGINE THE PREGNANT WOMEN ARE NO LONGER FOCUSED. SO WHEN EVERYTHING IS LOST, PREGNANT WOMEN ARE ALSO HUNGRY. PREGNANT WOMEN ALSO HAVE NO WATER AND NO SHELTER. SO WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THEM?

IN: IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO INDONESIA SEVERAL DECADES AGO, HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO SET UP THE FOUNDATION?

RL: WELL YOU CAN IMAGINE... BUT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WAS COMING FOR HELP, THEY DON'T NEED... WE HAD NOT ROAD HERE, IT WAS NOT ASPHALT YET, IT WAS BROKEN CORAL. THERE ARE NO AUTOMOBILES IN THE THIS VILLAGE. THEY WERE A VERY FEW MOTORCYCLES. OUR ELECTRICAL...STILL AN EXTENSION CORD ON THE NEXT VILLAGE. SO EACH FAMILY HAD SOMETIMES ONE 10-WATT LIGHT BULB. SO VERY DIM LIGHTS, IF ANY. AND WE SAW OVER 20 YEARS TO TREMENDOUS CHANGE AND GROWTH.

LIM IS A U.S. CITIZEN WHO HAS LIVED IN BALI THE PAST 20 YEARS. SHE SAID SHE PLANS TO USE THE $250,000 HERO PRIZE TO BUILD ANOTHER HEALTH FACILITY.

19.12.2011. 07:32